A reunion between Wizards legends John Wall and Bradley Beal might happen
By Cory Nelson
It’s been four years since the Washington Wizards stars John Wall and Bradley Beal split up. Now, Beal is a member of the Phoenix Suns via a trade request and Wall is still a free agent.
But a reunion between the two guards hasn’t been ruled out yet.
On a recent episode of FanDuel TV’s show Run It Back, Wall said he would love to grace the hardwood with Beal again, even if it’s with another franchise.
"“That’s what I was hoping for in D.C. It went different ways but me and Brad are still brothers. We still talk a lot. You know, a lot of people want to make us like we’re not cool with each other and that’s the reason why things happened. But we still have conversations, we still talk a lot and I congratulated him on moving there and hope the best for him and find a way for him to win a championship. But yeah, if I could join that team, I would love that.”"
The fans in Washington, D.C. remember the duo of Wall and Beal like it was yesterday. During their time with the Wizards, they averaged a combined 39 points and were one of the NBA’s best duos at the time. Even though they couldn’t win a championship, they still impacted the franchise. They led the Wizards to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 and got as far as the Eastern Conference semifinals. After that, they made three more playoff appearances.
As the Suns’ current roster stands, they don’t have a primary point guard. Devin Booker occupies the position for the first time in his eight-year career. He came into the NBA as a shooting guard but had to sacrifice it to Beal, who also played the two spot in a Wizards jersey.
If Phoenix could find a way to obtain Wall, it could still work.
Sure, they’ll have an additional guard on their roster but all that’s needed is slight roster adjustments. With Wall likely being named a starter, he will obviously take the point guard slot. Considering Booker was generous enough to give up his shooting guard position, he could possibly let Beal keep it as he moves to the small forward position, pushing Josh Okogie to the bench. Since Booker is only 6’5” and weighs 206 pounds, he will need to adapt but it could be done.
Having a healthy Wall on the Suns’ roster could even improve their chances of winning, particularly on the defensive side. In his prime, he was one of the best defensive point guards in the league. For his career, he averaged one steal and even made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2015. But, at the age of 33, he will have to remain healthy as he dealt with injuries the majority of his career, including one that kept him out for an entire season.
Now, of course, the Wizards could use a player like Wall more than the Suns can. But still, a reunion with the duo could bring back memories for Wizards fans who are forced to watch their team go through a current rebuild.
